Photo Credit: by Sherry Dumpprope

Halloween can bring more tricks than treats for kids (and their families) who suffer from food allergies. In the United States alone, one in thirteen kids has a food allergy, and many of them can be severe, or even potentially life-threatening. The scary thing is, there isn’t even a leading culprit to make things easier for those trying to have allergen free candies at Halloween. Any food can cause a reaction. Ingredients such as nuts, milk, egg, soy, or wheat are in most candies and happen to be some of the most common food allergies. However, food dyes, preservatives, and other added ingredients can also trigger reactions. What’s a consciousness and responsible citizen meant to do?

Heartburn can certainly put a damper on the types of foods people enjoy—spicy foods being one of the top sour stomach and heartburn causing culprits. But what if we told you it’s still possible to enjoy your favorite Sichuan sauce without triggering heartburn or bringing on acid reflux? Furthermore, what if we told you, there are actually some pretty awesome health benefits to eating those spicy suppers? Well, there are. Let’s dig in a bit deeper to understand the risks and benefits associated with spicy food consumption.

Caffeine has long been given a bad rap. The famous Mayo Clinic states that consuming more than 500-600 mg of the stimulant a day may lead to insomnia, nervousness, restlessness, irritability, an upset stomach, a fast heartbeat, and muscle tremors.